Hay-tedder



(No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. H. THOMAS.

HAY TEDDER.

I No. 309,745. Patented Dec. 23, 1884.

W E-Mi WITNESSES Y "@ffmi (No Model.) I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. H. THOMAS.

HAY TEDDER. I I No. 309,745. Patented Dec. 23, 1884.

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ATENT HAY-TEDDER.

SPECIFICATIQN forming part of Letters Patent No. 309,745, dated December 23, 1884.

v Application filed May .19, 1884. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN H. THOMAS, of Springfield, county of Clark, and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Hay-Tedders, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification.

This invention relates to the means for throwing the pinions of the crank-shaft actuating the tedder forks or teeth into and out of gear; and it consists in mounting the main axle of the machine in tubular bearings on the frame through eccentrics on the axle, and in providing one or more of these eccentrics with a toothed segment, which engages with and is adapted to be rocked by means of a toothed segment, and lever for actuating the same, pivted to the frame, whereby by the rocking of the eccentrics in their bearings the frame is moved forward or backward relative to the driving-wheels for throwing the pinions into and out of gear.

It further consists in connecting the lever adj ustably with the toothed segment for rocking the eccentric in its bearings and adjusting the frame and pinion-shaft, as hereinafter explained.

The machine in its organization or general arrangement of parts is similar to others in use, and it need not, therefore, be described in detail further than is necessary to an under standing of my improvements.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view of a tedder embracing my improvements. Fig. 2 is a cross-section on a line adjacent to the adjusting-lever and toothed segments. Fig. 3represents the toothed segments and a portion of the actuating-lever in side elevation enlarged, with the slotted plate for effecting the adjustment of the lever relatively to its segment partly broken away to show the ribbed or corrugated adjacent face of the segment. Fig. atis a side elevation looking from the opposite side; and Fig. 5 is a transverse vertical section of said parts, showing the axle in elevation.

A represents the main axle of the machine, and B B the carrying-wheels mounted and revolving freely thereon, and provided each with ment of the links or radius-bars supporting the upper ends of the fork-stales. The shaft c has pinions a fast on its ends, adapted to engage with the internally-toothed rims B for actuating it. The side longitudinal bars, 0 G, and by preference, also, one of the intermediate bars, (indicated by 0 have pendent brackets D secured to them, provided with tubular bearings or short transverse sleeves D, in which are mounted collars E, surrounding the axle A,and of eccentric formation relative thereto, as shown in Fig. 4. These eccentrics or collars snugly fill the sleeves D, and are adapted to be rocked therein. They are secured to the axle in any suitable manner, and preferably those at the sides are provided on their outer ends with annular flanges similar to that shown. at 6, Fig. 5, which abut against the outer ends of the bearing-sleeves and prevent relative lateral movement of the frame and axle. One of these eccentrics, preferably the intermediate one where more than two are used, as being in convenient position to be acted upon by the attendant, and as being less liable to produce torsional strain of the axle, has its flange 6 provided with a toothed portion, 6, which is engaged by and is adapted to be acted upon byasimilartoothed segment, f, formed on a pendent sector plate or quadrant, F, pivoted at g in a bracket, G, on the bar 0 The pivot 9 extends through and beyond the hub f of the quadrant F, and has pivoted upon it a pendent plate, h, having flanges h on its outer face, forming a socket, in which the hand-lever H is secured by one or more bolts or screws, as shown. The lower end of plate h is expanded in width, and has a slot, h", formed in it in an arc of a circle of which the pivot g is the center, and a bolt, 2',

passing through a perforation in the quadrant F 5 and theslot h' in plate h, in connection with a clamping-nut, i, serves to hold the plate h and the lever H secured thereto at any desired adjustment relative to the sector F permitted by the slot h. The quadrant F and plate h have intermeshing radial ribs formed on their adjacent faces at f 2 in an arc of a circle outside of the slot h", which assist in holding the said parts at the desired adjustment, the object of such adjustment being to bring the lever into convenient position to be operated by the attendant. The bracket G has an upright notched segment, Gr, formed upon it, with which a sliding latch, is, on the lever H engages for holding the lever, and with it the axle-eccentrics, at any desired adjustment, said latch being operated by a spring and a bell-crank or thumb lever on the hand-lever of any usual or preferred form and arrangement.

Under the arrangement of parts shown and escribed it will be seen that when the axleceentrics are rocked in their tubular bearings the frame of the machine, carrying the pi11ion-shaft,wil1 be moved forward for throwing the pinions at out of gear with the internally-toothed rings B or backward for throwing them into gear, as desired.

The scgmentf is preferably made in an arc on the axle journaled in said sleeve-bearings, for adjusting the frame and pinion-shaft, and provided with annular flanges for preventing relative lateral movement of the frame and axle, substantially as described.

3. The combination, in a hay-tedder, of the tubular bearing-sleeves on the frame, the eeeentrics 011 the axle adjustable in said sleeves, and the intermeshing toothed segments and lever for rocking the eccentrics in the bearing-sleeves and adjusting the frame for throwing the forks into or out of aetion,substantially as described.

4. The eccentric on the axle, provided with the toothed segment, and mounted in a suitable bearing on the frame, in combination with the toothed segment adjustably secured to the hand-lever, for adjusting the frame and throwing the fork-actuating pinions into and out of gear, substantially as described.

5. The toothed sector or quadrant for rocking the axle-eccentric and adj usting the frame, in combination with the lever socket or plate to which the adjusting-lever is secured, said lever socket or plate being adj ustably connected with said toothed sector, substantially as described.

6. In a hay-tcdder, the axleeccentric provided with the toothed segment, in combina tion with a toothed lever-segment of greater radius or formed in an arc of a circle of greater diameter than the segment on the eccentric, whereby the throw of the lever in adjusting the frame for throwing the machine into or out of gear is diminished, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 28th day of May, A. D. 1884.

J. H. THOMAS.

\Vitnesses:

H. B. ZEVELY, REX. M. SMITH. 

